Browse Career Planning Articles

Internship: Towers Perrin Name: Brian Murray School: Hampton University Major: Business, Management Internship stats: Hours per week: 35-40. How I heard about it: Through the INROADS program. Daily routine: "Although most of my internship for college students time period was spent learning about the company in various training and performance sessions, I also participated in the same responsibilities as other ...

When high school pals Alexandra Robbins, 25, and Abby Wilner, 25, got together over lunch several years ago to catch up on their lives after college, they were both ready to tell some glowing stories about how well they were doing. "At first, we both said we were having a great time," recalls Robbins, an English and American studies double major ...

There are tons of ways to find out about part-time jobs that are available in your area. Here are just a few: Word-of-mouth Make connections with other high school students who have part-time jobs. Talk to them about their jobs and find out what types of businesses are hiring students. You can also make connections with adults who could possibly let ...

Getting a job starts long before you send in your resume or go to an interview. Before you can apply, you have to choose a career. And there are a lot of resources online that can help you identify and explore your interests, learn more about different career paths and get the connections you need. Test Yourself Online self-assessment tests can ...

Students interested in science and engineering careers have a healthy variety of options for a bright future. Science and engineering fields are among the best and fastest-growing in America, according to career-oriented surveys. Salary.com cites among the fastest-growing fields: software engineer, technical writer, medical scientist, physical scientist, engineer, physician/surgeon, landscape architect, biotechnology research scientist, biological scientist, environmental scientist, lab technologist, and ...

Is it ever too soon to look for the postgraduation job you want? The short answer is, "No, it isn't." But the more complete answer is, "It depends on what you mean by look." Timing is critical in your job search, just as it is in many things in life. Perhaps that's why so many college students have questions like the ...

Now more than ever, it’s important to get the best bang for your buck. And there’s no question about it — when it comes to value, not every U.S. city is created equally. Why chase a great salary if your rent swallows most of it, unemployment is skyrocketing and you spend two hours a day just to get to and from ...

When Ashley Anderson graduated in December 2008 with a BA in marketing, she expected to send out a few resumes before she found a job in her field. But four months, 500 resumes, and countless interviews later, Ashley was happy to land the only job she could-- a customer service position with a computer software company. A far cry from the ...

College grads this year are facing one of the toughest job markets in decades. As of March 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate for people age 20 – 24 was 13.9%. That’s 5.4% higher than the national average, and 3.7% higher than last year. “Graduates who are unable to find jobs are at higher risk of ...

It's your first job and you want to make a good impression. But chances are what passed for appropriate conduct in your dorm room and classroom won't earn you points at work. So cop a professional attitude and use on-the-job etiquette to get ahead. Watch Your Time Start with the most basic rule of business etiquette: Be punctual. Always arrive ...

While it's difficult to make definitive statements about what to do and what not to do in every negotiation situation, there are some potential pitfalls to be aware of before entering the negotiation process. Here are five of the most common no-nos. Initiating Negotiations Too Soon Timing is important here. The appropriate time to negotiate is when a formal offer has ...

Let's pretend you're a senior biology major, but the only reason you chose biology in the first place is because you liked going to zoos and didn't really know what else to major in. Now as graduation approaches, you wish you could go back and major in communications and become a writer instead. Changing your major now isn't a realistic option. ...

If you had asked me four semesters ago, I definitely would not have thought I was capable of doing half the things I have. That's what is pretty neat about getting older: You have the opportunity to reflect back on where you were in your life, and compare it to where you are now. And usually, you see a lot of ...

Even the smartest and most qualified job seekers need to prepare for job interviews. Why, you ask? Interviewing is a learned skill, and there are no second chances to make a great first impression. So study these 10 strategies to enhance your interview IQ. Practice Good Nonverbal Communication It's about demonstrating confidence: standing straight, making eye contact and connecting with a ...

According to Monster’s 2007 High School Graduate Survey of more than 2,000 high school graduates, some two-thirds of today’s graduates already have work experience. If you want to help your teenager become one of them this summer, the best way to do it is to solemnly pledge that you’ll only help, because it’s much too easy to succumb to the temptation ...

You're about to graduate with a finance, accounting, economics or business degree. How do you parlay that achievement into a great job? Just as you did when you wrote all those term papers, the first step is to pick a topic, or in this case, a niche. Finance degrees usually lead to jobs with corporations or financial institutions. Corporate jobs include ...

After graduating from the University of Iowa, Andy Sternberg decided that he wasn't ready to have a conventional nine-to-five job. Instead he looked for alternatives that would support him financially while allowing him to work in a creative environment. He currently works as a TESL (Teach English as a Second Language) instructor in Spain. "I've selected jobs outside of the full-time ...

What makes you tick? What major will fit you best? How will you find a good career? And how can you keep from going crazy trying to sort through this swirl of career-related questions? Many college students feel confused and overwhelmed by all of the career decisions they must make. Fortunately, there's a strategy you can use to make the whole ...

I graduated from college six months ago, but I never did an internship because I had no idea what I wanted to do. I now think that I would like to work for a study abroad organization. Is it too late to convince a company to let me intern with them? I inquired several times about internships my senior year ...

Student: Joshua Holter Internship: Industrial Assemblies, Inc. How I heard about it: Through my Design Technology instructor. He told me about the company and I called and set up an interview. Daily routine Using AutoCAD, I engineered store displays for major companies. The prints I engineered were approved and sent out to the shop to be built. The project that I ...